Originally Posted by
PotatoSlayer
I normally don't have a short fuse, but not even five minutes into my ride to the grocery store (about a 2 mile trip) I had some car slow down, roll down the window, and the passenger said to "use the sidewalk."
It's about 6pm, the end of rush hour. The next stop light I catch up to this car, still minding my own business as I roll to the front of the line (they were first car at the light). It's a T intersection where they can go straight or right, single lane. They try to tell me again to 'use the sidewalk, that's what it's there for."
I replied "Thanks for the information, but It's called side-WALK for a reason."
"No, it's for bikes too. It's the law!"
"Okay. Answer me this, Johnny Cochran, did you get your law degree the same place you got your GED?"
At this point, assuming that it was a good idea to respond at all (and it's almost invariably not), wouldn't a more productive response have been something like this?
"I'm sorry, ma'am, but section 12-808 of the Philadelphia City Code actually makes it illegal for me to ride on the sidewalk. Plus, Under Chapter 35 of the Pennsylvania Vehicle Code, I am not only permitted, but in many instances required, to ride on the street."
(Obviously, I'm using my own local law as an example, but I'm sure that whatever jurisdiction you're in has similar provisions.)
You had the opportunity to either ignore the driver so as not to escalate the situation, or to educate the driver, which would have at least created the possibility that the driver would learn not to make the same mistake in the future. Instead, you took actions that will increase that driver's antagonism toward cyclists in the future. Not smart.